Chapter 12
12
Anais
“Girl, yes! You have to wear that. Your waist looks tiny and it makes your boobs look even bigger. Ugh. So jealous.”
Keyara goes back to looking at her reflection and playing with her hair, debating on whether she should tie it up or leave it down.
“Keyara, what are you talking about? You have a fabulous ass, long legs –those of which I am lacking– and your skin is freaking flawless. Please. Let’s just agree that we both look amazing and should definitely score tonight.” I walk up next to her, squeezing into the view of the mirror and bump her hip with mine.
A small smile brightens her face and she throws her arm around me and kisses the top of my head. “I love you Houston bestie.”
“Excuse me? Just Houston bestie? Ruuude!” I joke and poke her in the side.
My phone dings with a text and look at the screen to find a message from our friends. “Come on. Mindy and Alyx are waiting for us downstairs.”
I slip my feet into my shoes and grab my small purse.
“Fake?” Keyara asks, doing a last check .
“Got it.”
“Perfume?”
“On.”
“Condoms?”
I arch my brow at her then open my purse wide. She peeks in to see the strip that I always carry but have no intention of using them with anyone.
“Good girl. Let’s go.”
We flip off the lights and shut the door, tugging on it to make sure it’s locked. We hit the bottom floor of our dorm and see Mindy and Alyx dressed to kill and ready to party.
“Dayum. Bitch you look fabulous.” Mindy grabs my hand and places it in the crook of her arm. “You know, that one guy from the baseball team was asking about you in PoliSci. The one in the gym a few weeks ago.”
I shrug, not really caring. “Eh. He’s okay.”
Mindy skids to a stop and Alyx runs into the back of me with an oof.
“Just okay? Girl, you need your eyes checked. That boy is foine!! Maybe it was all the lust in your eyes from staring at Coach Michaels that blinded you.”
“The untouchable Coach Michaels,” Alyx adds, shoving my hair out of her face. “Damn, Ana. You have so much freaking hair. How do you not strangle yourself at night?”
We begin walking again to where an idling car waits at the curb. “Um, a silk bonnet. Duh.”
“Front seat. Not it,” Keyara rushes out and sticks her finger on her nose.
“Not it,” I shout, repeating the motion as does Alyx, leaving Mindy as the shotgun rider tonight.
“Ugh. You guys suck. Get in bitches.”
We open the doors and pile in, ready for whatever the night holds.
The words to one of my favorite songs plays on and on. My hands are high in the air and my eyes are closed as I let the beat take me away.
I dance with a guy I’ve seen around campus, while Mindy, Keyara and Alyx dance with each other. The night has been spent alternating between dancing with each other, with guys, and taking shots at the bar. I’ve been wise to not go as hard as I did a few weeks ago, but I’m still enjoying the night.
A hand rests on my waist and I place my arms on his shoulders, keeping them straight yet relaxed. I open my eyes to see him staring at me. He’s cute. Blonde hair, warm brown eyes and a nice smile. He’s not super tall, but he’s taller than me and that’s the important thing.
He leans closer and nuzzles his nose into my hair, the tip running just along the shell of my ear. I shiver when the soft touch tickles and a laugh works its way as the alcohol flows through my veins.
“Do you want to go back to my place?” he asks.
I pull back, looking into his eyes and tell myself this is the kind of guy I should be with. Someone young and carefree with his entire life still ahead of him. But nothing about a guy who is still figuring out what classes he wants to take next semester attracts me. I may only be nineteen, but I’m a mature nineteen and I know that I want a man. Not a boy who chugs beers from a funnel with his bros.
“I don’t know you, and my mom told me to never go home with strangers.” I play coy and bat my eyelashes at him.
The flashing lights throw a variation of colors across his face and he smirks. “Well then let’s get to know each other better and I won’t be a stranger anymore. ”
He slides his hand across my jaw and it tangles into my sticky strands. Our eyes search one another and I swallow, deciding to let whatever happens happen. He moves closer until our lips are centimeters apart. I close my eyes and feel his mouth take mine.
Our tongues twist and I taste the beer that lingers on his tongue. His kiss is neither soft nor hard with just enough pressure to make me moan. I feel his hands splay across my lower back, his fingertips brushing the top of my ass. I take a step back, breaking the kiss and put room between us.
“Just let me go to the restroom. Then we can talk more. ‘K?” He answers with a smile and I step past him and off the dance floor.
The song changes and I stumble, listening to the words and taking it as a sign that the guy waiting to take me home for a mediocre fuck is not the one I want to waste my time on.
I pull my phone from my pocket and send a text. A link, no other words, with hopes he’ll follow.
Me: Teedra Moses - Be Your Girl (Kaytranada edition)
I hit send and watch as the text shows delivered. I wait for him to read it but after a few minutes, the status doesn’t change. I push my way to the bathroom, stepping behind a line of girls who all giggle and sway where they stand.
The line moves slowly as girls probably take their time talking from one stall to the other and fixing their faces that are melting from the heat of too many bodies crammed into one place takes effect.
My phone buzzes and I quickly pull it out to see a response from Bishop.
Bishop: What is this, Anais?
I bite my lip and type back.
Me: A song. Did you listen?
Bishop: Yes. I know that. But why are you sending it to me?
I toy with the idea of playing it off like I just heard it and thought he may like it, but I say fuck it and tell him the truth. I’m sure it’s the alcohol making me brave, but I’m tired of pretending like I don’t need him.
Me: Because it’s what I feel…for you.
Bishop: Anais, you can’t say that.
Me: Why? Why can’t I, Bishop? It’s how I feel. I know you want me.
A tap at my shoulder pulls me away from my fixation on the phone screen and I look over my shoulder. The girl points ahead of me to show that the line has moved while I’ve been standing, and I tell her to go ahead and move to the side, suddenly needing to finish this conversation more than I need the restroom.
Bishop: Stop it. You’re nineteen. You’re my best friend's niece.
Me: The age excuse is played out. And I don’t hear you denying it.
Minutes pass without a response, so I pocket my phone, realizing I pushed too far. I get back in line but then decide to try once more.
Me: I heard you. In the shower when I was at your place. I heard my name, Bishop.
This gets the dots bouncing. I wait with anticipation to see his response.
Bishop: Where are you?
Me: Why? You gonna come get me?
Bishop: TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE
The all caps can either be a good thing or a bad thing. He’s either really excited about what I told him and wants to ravish me, or he’s pissed and I’m about to regret every word in this text.
I give him the name of the bar but he doesn’t reply. I start to feel sick and push my way to the closest trashcan and throw up the anxiety that is eating at me.
Needing a drink, I rush to the bar and ask for water with lemon and immediately chug it down. I look for my girls because I just want to get back to having a good time and not think about what may be waiting for me once Uncle Nix learns of this.
I spot Keyara on the dance floor along with the guy I was dancing with, and decide he’s the best way to help me forget about what I just did. I make my way over to them, smiling as he spots me, and I fall into his arms. He wraps his arm around my waist and tugs me close.
I rest my arms on his shoulders and his leg finds its way between mine, his thigh rubbing up just where I need friction. We dance with his hands moving to my waist and over my ass, and I lose myself in him, pushing all thoughts of Bishop out of my mind.
He leans close and whispers, “You want to leave?” His warm breath tickles my ear and I shiver.
I move my lips to his ear, repeating his movements, and tell him, “Fuck yes.”
His mouth crashes against mine and for a minute I feel bad because I threw up. But I sucked the shit out of that lemon, so I quickly drop the guilt.
I tangle my fingers in his thick hair and he moans. His dick stiffens and presses up against my stomach. I grow more excited about going home with him tonight. When his hand squeezes my ass, my nipples harden.
He bites my lip as he pulls away and I tell him, “Let me tell my friends and then– ”
My breath is stolen when my body is jerked backwards, robbing me of my words.
“What the fuck, man?”
I start to smack the arm that is holding me tight against a big, hard body. It’s dark, but a flashing light illuminates the hand and I recognize one of the tattoos that sits at the wrist.
“Bishop!” I yell, flinging my head to look at him standing behind me.
His face is wrenched tight with anger, but it isn’t directed at me. His eyes flare and burn with intensity as they stare directly at my dance partner.
“It’s time to go home, Anais,” Bishop growls.
“Exactly. That’s just where we were headed. To his home.” My voice is laced with sass and irritation.
“The fuck you are.” He sets me down and grips my hand. “We’re leaving.”
I’m tugged through the crowd and look back to see the other guy standing there completely dumbfounded over what just happened. Honestly, I feel the same way. One minute Bishop is shouting at me in all the caps and the next, he’s dragging me away from the fun I was having.
The girls see me going, Alyx and Mindy standing with dropped jaws, and Keyara smirking over the whole incident. She wiggles her fingers and blows me a kiss with a wink. I stumble out on the sidewalk that still has a line of people waiting to get in, so I’m not sure how Bishop was able to bypass all of them.
We reach his motorcycle and he literally picks me up and plops me down on the seat like I’m a child, my ass smacking against the leather.
“Ow,” I whine.
“Sit there, Anais. You know,” he props his hands on his waist and drops his head, a deep sigh leaving his mouth. “I fucking tried. I told myself you are not a good idea. I stayed away, but you just keep fucking pushing.”
I gulp and blink back the tears building in my eyes. “I’m sorry. I– ”
“You what, Anais?” He leans into my space so close that our breaths mingle. “You want a chase, little butterfly? Well then you better fucking run.”
His voice is low and dangerous and before I can think to respond, his lips collide with mine in a furious kiss.
He shoves his hands into my hair, the strands gripped tightly between his fingers, and the pull of my scalp burns. I groan into his mouth and throw my arms around him, pushing down on the pegs to stand, trying to get closer to him. I fall deeper into our kiss and rub my breasts against his chest.
Just as quickly as the kiss started, it stops with equal fervor. He takes my arms in a vice-like grip and pushes me away from him. His eyes are bewildered and I can tell he immediately regrets what he’s just done.
“Fuck,” he curses. “Sit down.”
I drop back down on the seat and he throws his leg over and reaches back, grabbing a helmet and shoving it in my stomach.
“Put it on and hold tight.”
I do as he says and wrap my arms around him, pressing my head against his back. I close my eyes and inhale, imagining what he smells like. His skin is dotted with sweat from the hot night and from all that has happened. I can feel the perspiration through his shirt and I vow not to wash my skin or my clothes.
The bike roars and we take off with a jerk. I hold tighter and splay my fingers over his taut abs. He tenses but slowly relaxes after a few minutes. I glue my body to his and sigh, reveling in the fact that he’s come to the same conclusion as I have.
We were meant to be.